Morena
Tena kotu
Tena kotu
Tena kotu kotoa
I am Shona Hammond Boys, National Director of the NZ Children’s Art House Foundation. Founder of the NZ Children’s Art Clubs and Art Houses.
I have travelled the world advocating for Te Kura aroha Toi, which is the school of love for the arts, and role modelled Children’s Art Houses across the globe as New Zealand’s representative on the International Child Art Foundation since 1997, receiving many awards for this work.
I have returned today to where I grew up, to my turangawaewae to consider the Founders project you have ready to launch.
The development of the Founders Theatre into a purpose-built creative, sacred space for the children of the Waikato to develop their deep inner talents is an important opportunity,’ .Here You can support the creative instinct of your young people with a dedicated space for a children `s art club, exhibition space and studio with administration support . A hub for creative children to network around the country and the world .NZCAHF can help with this establishment and development
A place for film-making, story telling and visual medium, paint murals, where children can develop character, personality and become entrepreneurs and contributing citizens.
Hamilton . has started with the new youth centre Well done. Let’s continue to offer all children in the Waikato a place to create. Marginalization of Arts in schools and society means communities need to provide stand-alone, sacred spaces for childrens own work and dreams within their neighbourhoods.
A children’s Art house is as valuable to a community as a library, museum or church. It supports children to take risks, not to be afraid, not to fear failure but to develop healthy human relationships and assist their communities using their talents,
Globally, growing depersonalization, socially and culturally adrift youth, speeding internet highways, at a time of adverse marginalisation of art in schools and societies worldwide is of great concern to me and us all..
Globally youth are despairing, their icons and Madonnas have little chance of surviving just as they have small chance of becoming a creatively fit, productive citizen. The NZ Children’s Art House Foundation believes in the individual artistic experience and that all children deserve the opportunity to engage with the development of their own talents, own ideas and own practices. This is left largely to chance in New Zealand.
The Foundations goal is to establish Children’s Art Houses as a role model in every community and to help communities place children centrally to the development of their community. Creative children ensure creative communities Children are born to be creative. Creativity is morally neutral Art is a human necessity not a luxury.
In order to make Hamilton a vibrant city we need to provide for children first, steer them to use their talents as contributing citizens ,to give them opportunity to show, and give validation and honouring for their talents..
It is not surprising that youth suicide can be linked to the high/low feeling state of our potential creators and the escalating agony at the comdemnation of their efforts and talents leads to despair,because of the valueless moral fibre of society which does not include them.
We all must make the change, realising that children are in advance of us and therefore grant them the right to discover, explore, invent, the new, fresh, the innovative and to dream the future differently.
Youth live in a climate of rapid and permanent change. Adults struggle with these changes.
Child art is not adult art. But it is the way children can develop character and personality and become entreprenurs.
We need all the bright sparks we can get therefore I totally endorse the Founder Community Hub as the greatest opportunity facing Hamilton given the current circumstances.
Working with our associates we can Network with the world and model Hamilton as enlightened, honouring the excellence of our children.
Art breeds empathy. All cultures use art as their foundation tool for learning. Bring back the whistle the dance the song of the children, The film making, the story telling the acting, the making.,
Acknowledge each child is different, each art experience will be different.
I am priviledged to watch the art clubs developing a new kind of citizen to make an expansive world for us.
.In the last 30 years, NZCAHF has made a national collection of children’s art which helps us all understand that our children have outstanding abilities which are not being recognised.
The Founders is here, it’s waiting. Our forefathers had the wisdom to build this venue so that we could bring our talent forwards, strengthen our communities.
. Everyone can be involved with a children’s art house, whatever age, whatever skill.
The children’s art house is a vital solution to the problems of youth today It is intergenerational.
We must all Negotiate changes and make a positive mark for the future.
I urge you all to Include a children`s art house within your future plans for this building .
I look forward to working with you on this project.
